Wringer release and reset



Dec. 3, 1940. N. l.. ETTEN WRINGER RELEASE AND RESET Filed April 26,1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l NNY Dec. 3, 1940. N ETTEN 2,223,512

WRINGER RELEASE AND RESET Filed April 26, 1959 `4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec 3,1940 N. L.. ETTEN WRINGER RELEASE AND RESET Filed April 26, 1959 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 3, 1940. N 1 ETTEN 2,223,512

WRINGER RELEASE AND RESET Filed April 26, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fff /ffgave of' /afQ/z i' .//f A gf 7 Patented Dec. 3, l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,223,512 warNGEa massa AND RESET NicholasL. Etten. Waterloo, Iowa applicati@ April 2a, 1939, serial No. 210,114

s claims. (ci. sa-26s) This invention relates to washing machinewringers and more particularly to an improved and simplified wringerrelease and reset mechanism.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a release and resetmechanism for domestic washing machine wringers of extreme simplicityand rugged nature, such that it will be capable of unusually economicalmanufacture.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wringerrelease mechanism of such design and construction that it cannot bereadily released by accidental shock imposed upon the wringer frame.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wringermechanism of such design that the'release latch surfaces operate under apressure very materially less than the operating pressure between therolls with the result'that these latch surfaces may be manually operatedwith minimum frictional resistance.

A further object of the invention is to provide manual wringer releasemeans, whereby the manualfeffort exerted by the operator is applieddirectly to the wringer latch mechanism without being transmittedthrough any intermediate linkages or other power transmission means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a non-fly reset leverfor a wringer, of such design andV construction that the lever may movethrough an arc of considerable magnitudeto afford a great mechanicaladvantage to the manual effort exerted by the operator in actuating thereset lever, but will not be subject to extreme or violent movement atthe time the emergency release mechanism of the wringer is actuated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wringerconstruction wherein the wringer spring is held in compressed positionby an unstable primary latch secured against release by a latch lock,the latch lock being releasable by the operation of either one of a pairof secondary latches.

These and other important objects are accomplished in the presentinvention as disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings included in and forming a part of thisspecification.

It should be pointed -out that a wringer release mechanism is primarilyintended as an emergency safety device and must, therefore, be of suchdesign and construction as to be absolutely dependable in operation, notonly when properly maintained and cared for, but under the most adverseoperation conditions andlmder extreme and continued abuse and neglect.

x It should also be understood thatin a highly competitive manufacturingfield, such as the washing machine industry, these objects must be 5accomplished by a structure that is of extreme simplicity and capable ofvery economical manufacture in order that the manufacturing cost of the(device shall be sufiiciently low that it will find a ready market.

In the prior art innumerable wringer release latches have been designedand marketed, but so far as is known, any of the constructions capableof economical manufacture have been found objectionable, either byreason of the fact that they 15 latch mechanisms are apt to developfriction and thus become extremely diiiicult to operate under emergencyconditions, or because in an effort to avoid this difficulty the latchmechanisms have been made so sensitive that they are subject to 20accidental release by jars or physical shock to the wringer structure.

These faults sometimes result in an extremely dangerous device sinceoperators unfamiliar with the mechanical structure of the device oftenmake 25- it a practice to test the wringer release mechanisms byactuating the release under normal operating pressure, when in fact thepressure spring may be compressed to an extreme point at the time whenan actual emergency exists and 30 thus cause the wringer release to failin actual operation, although the operator believes it to be insatisfactory working condition. This condition arises from the fact thatthe friction existing between the releasingilatch surfaces is vari- 35able in accordancewith the degree of pressure being exerted by thewringer spring. While this friction may not be excessive in normaloperation, yet in an emergency, as, for example, in case the operatorshand should come between 40 the rolls, the rolls will be forced apartand the pressure spring greatly compressed with the result that thefriction inherent in the latch may become so great that the latch willfail to release.

This difficulty is overcome in the present 1nvention since the forceacting between the latching surfaces is reduced to such an extent thatthey may be readily released by hand even under the most extremepressure conditions. This being 50 true, it will be readily appreciatedthat the releasing eifort may be' applied directly to the latch memberswithout any necessity for providing linkages or levers to increase themechanical advantage effective upon the latch and that 55 theelimination of all oi' these linkages or levers commonly mund in theprior art structures not only effects manufacturing economies, but addsto the dependability and ruggedness oi' construction of the entiremachine. f With referencemore particularly to the'drawings:

Fig. 1 is a iront elevation of a wringer mechanism incorporating arelease and reset mechanism illustrative oi' the principles of thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan setionalview taken substantially ontheplane of the line 2--2 in Fig. 1;-

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view for the wringer structure taken partlyin section along the plane of the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane ofthe line 4-4 oi.' Fig. 3, but showing the severalparts of the mechanismin released position;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. 4, showing the severalparts in one of the positions they assume during the resettingoperation;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a slightly modiiied application ofthe invention; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view similar to Fig. 6, showing x the several partsof the structure in released position; and

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane ofthe line 8-3 of Fig. 3, and illustrating one of thesecondary latchmechanisms.

In brief, the invention here disclosed comprises a new and improvedrelease and reset mechanism and is customarily used in connection withany ordinary washing machine wringer including a frame in which a pairof wringer rolls are rotatably mounted for power operation land areurged into pressure relationship with each other by means of a pressurespring.

In one of the most common types of construction, a lower wringer roll ismounted on suitable bearings in the frame and is connected with a powerdriving mechanism, L while the upper .wringer roll is mounted forrotation in vertically slidable bearings and is forced downwardly by aflat pressure spring extending from one bearing to the other and beingsecured at its center point to a removable top frame member which isreleasablymounted on the main frame and which serves as a spring anchorby securing the center point of the spring in predetermined position.

To release this type of wringer, it is common practice to release thefastenings whereby the top frame member is secured to the main frame andthus allow the pressure spring to throw the top frame upwardly, so thepressure spring may assumeits normal shape and will no longer exert adownward force upon the roll bearings.

To reset the wringer, leverages may be provided to draw the top framedownwardly from its released position to its operating position underforce suiiicient to compress theAv pressure spring. As an alternativeconstruction, the spring pressure may be relieved by unscrewing thepressure adjusting screw upon which the spring is mounted and, while thepressure is thus relieved, the top frame may be manually replaced on themain frame and secured in position. 'I'he pressure is then reestablishedby returning the adjusting screw to its normal operating position.

' to the main frame inthe usual manner and the other end is secured tothey main frame by'an the operating pressure ot the wringer acting'on itwill cause it to release unless it is locked in engaged position by alatch locking bar mounted in the top frame. 'The latch locking bar is soarranged that it is in turn secured against movement by a release memberwhich may be released by the operation of either one of a pair of sec-Aunstable latch. This latch` is oi such design that l ondary releaselatches. -These secondaryy release f latches are stable in design inthat the fgorce. operating between the latching surfaces does not tendto cause the latch to release. However, they operate under-very lowpressure as compared with the l pressure normally exerted on theunstable primary latch and, therefore. may be freely and easily actuatedby hand. The release of either of the secondary latches allows the latchlocking bar to release the unstable primary latch and thus free the topframe from the main frame and release the pressure etlective between`the wringer rolls.

'I'he preferred construction of the invention is I illustrated inconnection with the wringer mechanism including a main frame I3 whichcomprises a lower channel l I and vertical -bearingslideways i2 and I3,the bearing slideway I2 being preferably provided with the bracketportions I4, whereby the entire wringer structure may be mounted on agear box or power head in a manner customarily employed in the art. Thelower wringerroll I5 is journalled for rotation in a pair of stationarybearing members I6, one of which is mounted in each of the verticalbearing slideways I2 and I3 and suitable driving connections areestablished in order that the roll I5 may be power driven from the powerhead on which the entire wringer structure is mounted.- 'Ihe wringerroll il is `iournaled in a pair of bearing members I8, one of winch ismounted in' each of the uertical bearing slideways |2 and I3, but theseupper roll bearings I 8 are free to slide vertically to permit upwardaxial displacement oi' the vupper roll in accordance with the varyingthicknesses of goods being passed between the wringer rolls.,

A at pressure spring 2| is so arranged thaty 22 `and secured to thespring 2| by a clip 25carried von a reduced end portion 26 of theadjusting screw 23.v Thetop frame 2231s removably secured to themainframe III at'one end by a hooked portion 2l stamped in the verticalbearing slideway I2 which engages an orice 28 stamped in the downwardlyextending end iiange 29 ofthe top frame 22.

The oppite rend of the top frame 22 is n'ot directly connected to themain framelll but is secured to a reset lever 3| in such a manner thatthe top frame 22 may bedrawn downwardly toward the main frame In .withsuicient `force to compress the pressure spring 2| sumciently toprovideA the initial tension necessary for satisfactory operation of themachine. 'I'he reset lever 3|, is mounted pn the mainframe Ill by meansof a compression link 32 extending between a bracket 33 aiiixed to thelever 3| and a similar bracket 34 spot-welded or otherwise secured tothe outer surface lof t e vertical bearing slideway I3.

The connection between the reset lever 3| ,and

' portion 42 of the latch locking bar 43 and a resety pin 44 riveted inthe bar43 and extending downf wardly adjacent the hook portion' 42. Thepin 33 is then moved 4to the left, vas viewed in Fig. 5, in vsuch amanner that it will bear against the pin 44 and movel the entire latchlocking bar- 43 from the unlocked position shown in Fig. 4 to the lockedposition shown in Fig. 5. As this is done the pin 33 is locked in thesocket 4|, since this movement of theA latch locking bar 43 causes thesocket to move to such a position that it is closed at the bottom by thelatch member 43.

vspot-welded to the downwardly extending end flange 41 of the top frame22. The pin 33 will now rest upon the upper caml surface 45 yoi. the

.latch member 43, and will be locked in the socket 4| in such a mannerthat by operation of the reset levers the top frame may be drawndownwardly into operating position against the pressure of the spring2|, as will be pointed out in detail hereinafter. The latch locking bar43 is pivotally secured to a latch release member 5| by thestud 52. Thelatch release member 5| extends horizontally across the top frame 22 ofthe machine and extendslthrough a pair ofL- shaped latch perforations 53one of which is stamped from each of the downwardly-extending sideflanges 54 of the top frame 22. The latch perfor'ations 53 are-eachprovided with a latching surface or shoulder which will limit themovement of the release member 5| as long as the release member 5| isrestrained against down' ward movement, but whenever the member 5| ismoved downwardly it will disengage the latch surface 55 and'is then freefor movement along the release channel 53 of the perforations 53 (seeFig. 8). .This movement is normally prevented by a light coil'spring 50,which is carried on a pin 53 mounted in the top frame 22 ancl` actsupwardly against the` lower surface ofthe latch locking bar 43 to holdthe latch release member 5| 'in raised position such that it is inengagement with the latching surfaces 55 in the latch perforations 53.

55 To operate the emergency release mechanism,

of the release member 5|, and cause it to be dis-` i 'Il right at'alltimes when the spring 2| is underV the operator may depresseither of therelease buttons 51, one of which is attached at each end of the releasemember 5|. Downward movement of either of these buttons will depress oneend engaged from the latching surface 55 of the perforations 53 and befree to move to the right, as viewed in the drawings, along the releasechannel'53. f

The force effective to cause this movement to take place is transmittedthrough the mechanism from the main spring 2|, since the upper camsurface 45 of -the latched member 43 attached to the top frame 22 isinclined at an angle sufilcient that the pressure of the spring 2|' willcause the pin 33 to be urged outwardly against the hooked portion 42 Aofthe latched locking bar 43.' I'he pin 33 therefore exerts a. forcetending to move the latch bar 4 3 to the :s pressure, but theinclination of the cam surface 43 il euchthat the magnitude -cf theforce acting uponethe latch locking bar 43 is very greatly reduced ascompared with the magnitude of the roi-ee exerted between the latenmember u and thepinbythepressurespririgll.v

It is desirableto reduce the forces acting between the latch surfaces 53and the release member 3| to a minimum in order that these latches maybe free to release u'nder very light manual '10 pressure even when thepressure spring 2| is compressed to an extreme degree, but the forcetending to move the locking bar 43 must be sufficient to insure absolutedependability of operation, and it has therefore been iloundladvantageous to reduce the forces acting between the latching surfaces55,-5I to lesser magnitude than the force exerted upon the locking bar.Thiais accomplished in thepreferred construcnonl illustrated. since theforce exerted by the l action of the cam surface 45 on lthe pin 33 andtending to move the latch locking bar 43 to the right is divided betweenthe two secondary latch mechanisms, and the latch release member 5| actsas a lever which may pivot on either ofthe" latch surfaces 55 as afulcrum at the moment that the opposite latch mechanism is released.

i The arrangement is such that when one of the secondary latches isreleased the latch locking bar 43 will be positively moved to the vrightin sucha manner that the hooked-portion 42 and pin y44 move beyond thelatch member 43 and unlock thesocket 4| to release the pin 33. so thatthe entire top frame structure 32 may be thrown upwardly under thepressure exerted by AI pair of limit links 33 are attached to a crossbolt 53 extending between the side flanges 54 of the top frame 22 andextend downwardly into the vertical bearing slideway `I3 in notches 6|cut in the upper roll bearings I3. The lower ends of these links aremounted on a pair of rivets 33 on the slideway I3, and these links 53are each provided with elongated slots 32 in order to limit the upwardthrow of the top frame assembly '22 at the time of release.

To reset the mechanism, the pln'35 is again positioned in the socket 4|and moved inwardly against the pin 44 to slide the latch locking bar tothe left until the latch release member 5| is moved to its extreme leftposition and snapped upwardly so that each end of the release member 5|seats against the latchin'g 'surface 55 of the perforation.. 53. Thesocket 4| has now -55 moved inwardly above the latch member 46 in such amanner that the pin 33 is securely locked against release, and theoperating pressure may be reestablished between the rolls by pivotingthe ,reset lever 3| downwardly in the direction indicated by the arrowin Fig. 5, to draw the entirel top frame structure 22 downwardly againstthe force exerted by the pressure spring 2|. The reset lever 3| islocked in its set position against the vertical bearing slideway I3 by alatch 35 mounted under spring tension on a pin 33 ne'ar the bottom ofthe bearing slideway I3 and so positioned as to engage the latch pin 31aiiixed I 65 is illustrated as the present preferred meansv ofaccomplishing the desired result.

In Figs. 6 land 7 a slightly modiiied form of I the invention has beenillustrated, which diners lprovide a cam surface |45 which will engagethe latch member |46 secured to the top frame |22 and thus hold the 'topframe |22 in operating position so long as the swinging latch member |3|is restrained against clockwise pivotal movcment by the hooked portion|42 which forms one side of the socket |4| in which the extremeupper end|36 of the swinging latch member |3| is secured. The release isaccomplished as in the previous construction by momentarily depressingone of the buttons |51 in such a manner as to disengage one end of thelatch release member |5| from the'latching surface |55 of theperforation |53 and allow it to move to the right along the releasechannel |56 under the influence of the reduced force transmitted to thelatch locking bar |43 by the action pressure spring |2| upon lthel latchmember |45 and through the cooperating cam surface |46. When either ofthe release buttons |51 are depressed, the latch locking bar |43 maymove to the right, as illustrated in Fig. 7, and this movement will besufficient to allow the swinging latch member |3| to pivot in aclockwise directionaround the mounting rivets |32 and disengage thelatch member |46 from the cam` surface |45. This will completely releasethe top frame |22 from the main frame I0 and allow the pressure spring l|2| to throw the top frame structure |22 upwardly and release thepressure relationship existing between the upper roll ||1 and the lowerroll ||5. As in the structure previously described, limit linksincluding slots |62 engaging the rivets |63 are provided topreventexcessive movement in the event that the release mechanism is actuatedwhen the wringer is operating under extreme pressure conditions.

To reset this structure -the operator should rst unscrew the pressureadjusting screw |23 sumciently so that the top frame |22 may be returnedto its operating position without the necessity of compressing thepressure spring |2|. 'I'he upper extremity |36 of the swinging latch-member |3| is then positioned in the socket |4| at theendof the latchlocking bar |43 and moved inwardly against the bracket |44 to slide thelatch locking bar |43 to the left until the latch release member |5|comes into alignment with both of the latching surfaces |55 in the sidewalls of the top frame |22 and is snapped upwardly into .latchedposition by the light compression spring |50 mounted on the pilot lpin|58. The wringer pressure member may then be reestablished by rotat-.ing the pressure adjusting screw |23 to bear down against the centerpoint of Athe fiat spring |2| until the spring |2| is exed sumciently toprovide initial operating pressure" between the rolls.

The

while it is believed that the advantages lnherent in the construction`lust described will be apparentv from the abovedescription, itmay bewell to point out that the construction. is such .that an unusuallylightpressure will be effective to cause operation of the emergency releasemechanism, even under extreme pressure cond!- tions,=and that when thisrelease is actuated there is no violent movement of the external partsoif the machine such as might cause injury to the operator, since thereset lever cannot ilyL outv wardly from the machine frame. Also, the

wringer cannot begaccidentally released by mechanical shock imposed lonthe structure, since the pin y:is is pesitively in th socket u. g

From thevforegoing description it will be apparent that the applicationof the principles of the present invention accomplish certain imporltant advantages, in that it ls possible to provide a construction ofextreme simplicity ywhich requires no unusual degree of precision inconstruction and is; therefore capable of' extremely economicalmanufacture, and yet provides operative features i'oundv heretofore onlyin comparatively complicated, expensive, and mechanically unre` liablestructures.

It is to be understood that while the particular constructions shown anddescribed herein are the present preferred embodiments of the invention,these' are intended to be illustrative only and it is contemplated thatvarious modications may be made other than those specificallyillustrated, without departing from the spirit or the scope of theinvention as deilned by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Ina clothes wringer including, a pair of wringer rolls and springmeans for establishing cooperating lpressure relationship between saidrolls, the combination of a pluralityof relatively movable frame membersnormally urged apart under the inuence of said pressure spring,` anunstable primary latch mechanism securing said frame members againstrelative movement, latch locking means movable between a lockedposition, wherein it is eiective to prevent Yrelease of said unstableprimary latch and an unlocked position wherein it is effective to permitrelease of said unstable primary latch, lever mechanisms operativelyconnecting said latch locking means with a plurality of stable secondarylatch mechanisms effective tosecure said latch lock in its lockedposition, means for manually actuating any one oi' said secondary latchmechanisms, cam means formed in said primary latch whereby said latchlocking means is urged toward its unlocked: position, said primary latchbeing Lresponsive to the operation of any one ofthe said secondarylatches for permitting movement ofthe latch locking means to an unlockedposition and release of said primary latch.

2. In a clothes -wringer including. a pair of wringer rolls and springmeans for establishing cooperating pressure relationship between saidrolls, the combination of `a plurality of relatively y said latch lockin its locked position, means for manually actuating said secondarylatch mechanism, means whereby said latch locking means is urged towardits unlocked position, said primary latch being responsive to theoperation of said secondary latch for permitting movement of the latchlocking means to an unlocked position and release of said primary latch.

3. In a clothes wringer including a frame, a pair of wringer rollsrotatably mounted in said frame and spring means for establishingcooperatlng pressure relationship between said rolls, the combination ofan unstable primary latch normally maintaining said rolls in cooperatingpressure relationship, latch locking means securing said primary latchagainst release, a plurality of stable secondary latches capable oidirect manual manipulation, said primary latch being responsive to theoperation of either secondary latch for releasing the latch lockingmeans.

4. In a clothes wringer including, a pair of wringer rolls and springmeans for establishing cooperating pressure relationship between saidrolls, the combination of a plurality of relatively movable framemembers normally urged apart under the influence oi said pressurespring, an unstable primary latch mechanism securing said frame membersagainst relative movement, latch locking means movable between a lockedposition, wherein it is effective to prevent release of said unstableprimary latch and an unlocked position wherein it is eiective to permitrelease of said unstable primary latch, mechanisms operativelyconnecting said latch locking means with a secondary latch mechanismeffective to secure said latch lock in its locked position, means formanually actuating said secondary latch mechanism, and means wherebysaid latch locking means is urged toward its unlocked position.

5. In a wringer, a frame, a plurality oi cooperating pressure rolls; apressure spring effective to establish cooperating pressure between saidrolls, and a releasable spring anchor structure comprising a springsupporting frame, a resetting lever mechanism comprising a manuallyoperable reset lever and a resetting link interconnecting said wrlngerframe and said spring supporting frame, a releasable pivotal connectionbetween said resetting lever mechanism and one' of said frame members,pivot locking means for said pivotal connection, movable between alocked and unlocked position, means responsive to the pressure springfor moving said pivot lock to an unlocked position, a latch mechanismeffective to maintain said pivot locking means in a locked position, andmanually operable locking facilities for returning said pivotalconnection to locked position.

6. In a wringer, a frame, a plurality of cooperatingy pressure rolls; apressure spring effective to establish cooperating pressure between saidrolls, and a releasable spring anchor structure comprising a springsupport, a resetting lever mechanism interconnecting said wringer frameand said spring support, a releasable pivotal connection between saidresetting lever mechanism and one of said frame members, pivot lockingmeans for said pivotal connection movable between a icked and unlockedposition, and 'a latch mechanism eiective to maintain said pivot lockingmeans in a locked position.

7. In a wringer, a plurality of cooperating pressure rolls, a pressurespring effective to establish operating pressure between said rolls, aplurality of relatively separable frame members, a pivot pin socketcarried by one of said frame members, a reset lever mechanism includinga pivot pin whereby said separable frame members may be forced intooperative position against the force of said pressure spring, socketlocking mechanism whereby said pivot pin may be locked against removalfrom said socket, and latch means whereby said socket locking mechanismmay be held or released.

8. In a wringer, a plurality of cooperating pressure rolls, a pressurespring eiIective to establish operating pressure between said rolls, aplurality of relatively separable frame members, a pivot pin socket, areset lever mechanism including a pivot pin whereby said separable framemembers may be moved into operative position, socket locking mechanismwhereby said pivot pin may be locked against removal from said socket,and latch means whereby said socket locking mechanism may be held orreleased.

9. In a wringer, a plurality of cooperating pressure rolls, a pressurespring eiective to establish operating pressure between said rolls, aplurality of relatively separable frame members, a latch socket carriedby one of said frame members, socket locking mechanism whereby saidlatch socket may be locked against release, and latch means whereby saidsocket locking mechanism may be held or released.

NICHOLAS L. ETTEN.

